He went to jail continuing to protest his innocence and mounted a series of failed appeals.

The Romanian justice system moves slowly and it could be 2015 before Connor is transferred back to Scotland.

But his victims are already horrified at the thought of his return. One woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: “This was the moment we were dreading. We don’t want him back in Scotland. He’ll serve a couple of years and be back on the streets again to prey on more innocent children.”

The Scottish Prison Service said they had yet to be contacted by the Romanians about Connor.

His mother Brenda, 73, who still lives in Bellshill and has always stood by him, was not available for comment.

The Scottish Government said they could not comment on individual cases, but procedures were in place to protect the public from returning sex offenders convicted overseas.

They said such offenders could be made the subject of Notification Orders, which require them to register their details with police in the same way as offenders convicted in Scottish courts.

TIMELINE: 20 years of attacking children.. and not one shred of remorse

1 CONNOR, 12, allegedly molests his first victim, a girl of four who visits his home to buy a rabbit.

2 Between ages of 13 and 15, he is accused of fondling a boy and girl, both seven, and showing porn to an 11-year-old.

3 At 15, in 1992, he is referred to social workers for first time over alleged abuse. They are told of four other incidents and conclude he is dangerous – but agree to work with him in “supportive” way.

4 In 1995, he serves half of a six-month sentence for indecency after being caught with young boys in his van and showing them pornography.

A pre-sentence psychiatric report says he has admitted other attacks and should be supervised after release, and he tells a jail social worker he still wants “young flesh”. The social worker fears he has many more victims.

5 Despite the authorities’ fears, Connor leaves Polmont Young Offenders Institution with no compulsory supervision order over him. He snubs a voluntary social work scheme.

Social workers report that he has admitted serial abuse but refuses to address his behaviour, so little can be done.

6 Connor befriends Glasgow man in 1997 and allegedly abuses his two children, as well as other victims. He flees when his crimes are discovered.

7 He lodges with family friend in Bristol in 2003 while looking for work as lorry driver and is accused of abusing two children in the house. Police are alerted and he flees again.

He starts driving in Europe for a number of haulage firms and is suspected of abuse in several countries.

8 He is arrested in Romania in August 2010 after police catch him with boys in his cab. He is jailed for eight years in February 2011 for abusing them.

9 Three years after his sentence, pervert wins fight to be sent back to Scotland.